Thermal container with pedal operated lid

ABSTRACT

A portable thermal chest ( 1 ) of the type having a hinged lid ( 2 ) operated by a pedal ( 3 ) affixed to a “U” shaped pedal assembly ( 4 ) in turn affixed to the chest by means of pedal assembly pivot axles ( 5 ). Lid lift arms ( 6 ) are attached at the lower end to the “U” shaped pedal assembly ( 4 ) by hinge joint axles ( 7 ) and affixed to the lid ( 2 ) at the upper end by lift arm lid axles ( 8 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND—

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to the field of thermal containers, specifically large volume chests used to store or transport items that must be kept cold or warm to prevent spoilage.

[0004] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0005] A number of companies including Coleman™ and Igloo™ manufacture large capacity portable thermal chests. Most are essentially the same type of device. They are most frequently fabricated as a double wall chest with a thermal foam filling and removable or hinged lid. They are frequently constructed of lightweight materials, either molded plastic or aluminum, to keep loaded as well as unloaded weight to a minimum.

[0006] If an individual has his/her arms or hands full, operating a lid for the purpose of accessing the interior compartment is difficult or impossible, since there is no provision for “hands-free” operation. Either the operator must put the objects down, or rely on assistance from a second individual. An example would be a fisherman/women who has a wriggling fish in one hand and a rod in the other.

[0007] No known manufacturers of thermal chests have provided a means for operating the lid without using one's hands. However, here have been many containers manufactured for holding hazardous waste or trash that employ foot pedal operated lids. For example United Receptacle® of Pottsville, Pennsylvania manufactures “Square Step Cans” with positive leverage foot pedals that allow for “hands-free” operation. The foot pedal operating technology however has not been applied to the field of portable thermal chests.

[0008] All of the large volume portable thermal chests heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:

[0009] (a) They have no provision for “hands-free” operation. An operator must unload his/her arms if they are full, or obtain assistance in order to open the lid.

[0010] (b) If the objects to be placed in the thermal chest are fresh foodstuffs, there is risk of bacterial or foreign particle contamination due to the necessity to put the items down before the hands can be used to operate the lid.

[0011] (c) There is a risk that the item to be stored can be dropped while attempting to operate the lid with the hands while they are full.

SUMMARY

[0012] In accordance with the present invention a large capacity portable thermal chest comprises a thermal chest with a pedal operated hinged lid, operated by a foot pedal affixed to a U-shaped metal arm and two lift levers.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

[0013] Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the thermal chest described in my above patent, several objects and advantages of the invention are:

[0014] (a) to provide “hands-free” operation, thus enabling the operator to open the thermal chest lid while his/her hands are fully loaded.

[0015] (b) to prevent contamination of the items to be stored by eliminating the need to put them down before the thermal chest lid can be operated.

[0016] (c) To reduce the possibility of dropping items through attempting to operate a thermal chest lid while one's hands are full.

[0017] Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing description and drawings.

DRAWING FIGURES

[0018] the drawings, figures have the same numeral references.

[0019]FIG. 1A shows the thermal chest with pedal operated lid in {fraction (3/4)} view.

[0020]FIG. 1B shows a top view of the thermal chest with pedal operated lid.

[0021]FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the lid operating system.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

[0022]1 thermal chest

[0023]2 hinged lid

[0024]3 pedal

[0025]4 “U” shaped pedal assembly

[0026]5 pedal assembly pivot axle

[0027]6 lid lift arm

[0028]7 hinge joint axle

[0029]8 lift arm lid axle

DESCRIPTION—FIGS. 1A, 1B, AND 2—PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0030] A preferred embodiment of the portable large capacity thermal chest with pedal operated lid is illustrated in FIG. 1A ({fraction (3/4)} view), FIG. 1B (top with pedal FIG. 2 (isometric view). The thermal chest (1) has a hinged lid (2) opened by a pedal (3) affixed to the center of the front of a “U” shaped pedal assembly (4) comprised of rigid metal and bent to approximate the shape of the front and two sides of the perimeter of the exterior bottom of the thermal chest (1). The pedal assembly (3) is transfixed and attached to the lower portion of the thermal chest (1) on the lateral (side) by pedal assembly pivot axles (5) such that the lateral (side) arms of the “U” shaped pedal assembly (4) have a long and short portion with respect to the axle. The short portion is toward the closed or front end of the “U shaped pedal assembly (4). This results in a mechanical advantage with respect to the relative travel of the arms, so that a small amount of travel on the front (pedal side) of the “U” shaped pedal assembly (4) results in significantly more travel at the open end of the “U” shaped pedal assembly (4).

[0031] The “U” shaped pedal assembly (4) is affixed to two rigid metal lid lift arms (6), one on each lateral aspect (side) of the thermal chest (1), by means of hinge joint axles (7) which allow the connection between the open ends of the “U” shaped pedal assembly (4) and the lid lift arms (6) to articulate in a hinge-like manner. The lid lift arms (6) are affixed to the lid (2) by means of lift arm lid axles (8). They are affixed to the lid a short distance from the lid (2) hinge on the lateral aspects (sides) of the lid (2). The exact position of placement of the pedal assembly pivot axle (5) with respect to the “U” shaped pedal assembly (4), the length of the rigid metal lid lift arms (6), and the placement of the lift arm lid axle (8) with respect to the distance from the lid hinge are determined by standard geometrical practices to result in a nearly fully opened lid when the pedal (3) is depressed.

[0032] Advantages

[0033] From the description above, a number of the large portable thermal chest with pedal operated lid become evident:

[0034] (a) The lid of the thermal chest may be opened by means of a pedal without using the hands, enabling lid operation while one's arms are fully loaded.

[0035] (b) Contamination of the items to be stored can be prevented by eliminating the need to set them down to open the lid of the thermal chest.

[0036] (c) The possibility of dropping items resulting from attempting to open the thermal chest lid while one's hands are full is eliminated.

[0037] Operation—FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2

[0038] The manner of using the portable large capacity thermal chest (1) with pedal operated lid (2) is to depress the pedal (3) affixed to the “U” shaped pedal assembly (4) causing it to pivot on the pedal assembly pivot axles (5) resulting in the lid lift arms (6) articulating and opening the angle relative to the “U” shaped pedal assembly (4). The lid (2) is opened by the vertical travel of the lid lift arm (6). The placement and dimensions of the components of the pedal system relative to the thermal chest (1) and lid (2) result in the lid opening nearly fully when the pedal (1) is fully depressed, thus allowing the force of gravity to act upon the lid (2) and close it when the pedal is released.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

[0039] Accordingly the examiner will see that the large capacity portable thermal chest with a pedal operated hinged lid of this invention has many advantages in that

[0040] It provides for “hands-free” operation, so that one person can open the lid, even though that person's hands are fully loaded;

[0041] It prevents contamination of the items to be stored in the thermal chest through contact with surface bacteria or debris by eliminating the need to put them down on a surface before the lid can be operated;

[0042] It reduces to possibility of dropping items through attempting to operate the lid of a thermal chest while one's hands are full.

[0043] Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed by the examiner as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing an illustration and example of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention.

[0044] Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the specific example herein given. 

I claim:
 1. In a portable thermal chest of the type comprising a hinged lid operated by a pedal affixed to a “U” shaped assembly that pivots on two axles affixed to two arms by axles, in turn affixed by axles to the lid.
 2. The lid of claim 1 wherein said lid is hinged to said thermal chest.
 3. The pedal of claim 1 wherein said pedal is affixed to said said “U” shaped assembly at its front central position.
 4. The “U” shaped assembly of claim 3 wherein said assembly pivots on two axles affixed to the lateral aspects of said thermal chest.
 5. The arms of claim 1 wherein they are affixed to the end of the open end of said “U” shaped pedal assembly.
 6. The arms of claim 5 wherein they are affixed at the lower end by said axles.
 7. The arms of claim 5 wherein they are affixed at the upper end to said lid.
 8. The arms of claim 5 wherein they are affixed to said lid by said axles. 